friday/19
“One Bay One Book” series. Discussions of Nathan Englander’s short stories leading up to his May 5 appearance. April 19: Contemporary Jewish Museum’s Daniel Schifrin on “Everything I Know About My Family on My Mother’s Side.” April 26: Rabbi Menachem Creditor on “Sister Hills.” At Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission St., S.F. All at 1 p.m. Free. Reserve a spot at www.thecjm.org.
saturday/20
Parents’ circle. Three-week seminar on topics relating to building a Jewish home, led by Rabbi Mike Rothbaum. At Beth Chaim Congregation, 1800 Holbrook Drive, Danville. 4 p.m. Also April 28 and May 5. Free. RSVP to [email protected].
“Gay Rights, Human Rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” Panel discussion of Jewish activists. At Congregation Sha’ar Zahav, 290 Dolores St., S.F. 5 p.m. Free. (415) 861-6932.
tuesday/23
“Jewish Life Under Islamic Rule.” Jewish studies department chair at S.F. State Fred Astren discusses life for Jews on the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. At Congregation Beth Emek, 3400 Nevada Court, Pleasanton. 7:30 p.m. $10. (925) 931-1055.
“A Holocaust Hero.” Journalist and historian Thomas Wood discusses the life of Jan Karski, a leader of the Polish resistance during World War II. Part of the Sonoma State Holocaust and Genocide Lecture Series. At Ives Hall, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 4 p.m. Free. www.sonoma.edu/holocaust.
“Three Rabbis Walk into a Room.” Rabbis from different streams of Judaism discuss wealth in the U.S. and the power of tzedakah. Part of the “Loaded: Jews & Money” series. At JCC of San Francisco, 3200 California St., S.F. 7 p.m. $10-$15. http://tinyurl.com/jews-money.
thursday/25
“Zionism.” Three-part series on the history and relevance of Zionism with Graduate Theological Union visiting scholar Ron Feldman. At Congregation Beth El, 1301 Oxford St., Berkeley. 7:30 p.m. Free. (510) 848-3988.
Art of Aging Gracefully. Resource fair with UCSF Medical Center professionals presenting the latest on healthy living. At JCC of San Francisco, 3200 California St., S.F. 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free. Advance registration preferred at www.jccsf.org.
“Women in Science.” Weizmann Institute of Science program on breast cancer research. RSVP for San Francisco location to (415) 981-4001 or [email protected]. 6 p.m. $35. www.weizmann-usa.org.
sunday/28
“The Blue-Turbaned Muslims: The Jews of Kaifeng.” Presentation by author Ken Blady on Chinese Jewry. At Cultural Integration Fellowship, 2650 Fulton St., 94118. 11 a.m. Free, donation requested. [email protected].
monday/29
Eliot Spitzer. The former New York State attorney general and governor discusses the corrosive effect money has on American politics. Part of the “Loaded: Jews & Money” series. At JCC of San Francisco, 3200 California St., S.F. 7 p.m. $15-$30. http://tinyurl.com/jews-money.
tuesday/30
Rabbi Shefa Gold. The Jewish Renewal leader gives a talk on “The Power of Intention.” At Chochmat HaLev, 2215 Prince St., Berkeley. 7 p.m. $20-$25. www.chochmat.org.